Ananya Chatterjee

Taking the plunge into potboilers, arty actress Ananya Chatterjee insists she’s more than just a prop in Anup Sengupta’s Mama Bhagne, co-starring Prosenjit and Ranjit Mullick.

A t2 chat...

Did you have problems acting in a commercial film?

It’s a popular style of acting. I had to keep in mind that I would be catering to the audience in the suburbs. So the pitch of dialogue delivery was different. And because it was different, it was exciting. My character is larger than life. The acting is much more straightforward. It’s not the way I normally react. But now there’s scope for underplay even in commercial films.

Did you like dancing around the trees?

I am a dancer and I love dancing. Anupda guided me beautifully and I had no problem doing those scenes.

What do you play in Mama Bhagne?

A typical heroine. The hero (Prosenjit) falls in love with her and they get married. Then there’s trouble; they separate and unite again. But Mama Bhagne has got a message.

Why didn’t you try potboilers before?

It’s not that I consciously stayed away from mainstream films. I would get offers but I would turn them down because my character had nothing much to do in those films. In Mama Bhagne, there’s more to my character than just prancing around the hero. My character has shades, there’s variety.

How was it playing Prosenjit’s girl?

Great! It’s a boon for someone new to the medium to have a veteran opposite you. It really helped.

Are you game for more commercial films?

Yes, definitely! But there’s not even a single offer right now. I will do commercial films provided my character has something more to do than just run around trees!